Improvement in dinner-cans



ALBERT A. ARNOLD, OF CLYDE, OHIO.

` IMPROVEMENT IN DINNER-CANS.

Speeication forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,851, dated June 17, 1873; application filed March 10, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT A. ARNOLD, of Clyde, in the county of Sandusky and State of Ohio, have invented certain Improvements in Dinner-Cans, of which the following is a specification:

The nature of my invention consists in a combination of a series of tin plates or dishes, attached to each 4otherwith hinges, which, when folded up, form the body of a can, into which are fitted a codec-can, vegetable and meat can, pastry-can, sauce or butter cup, and drinkin g-cup, together with recesses and loops for knife, fork, and spoon.

Figure 1 in the accompanying drawings represents four tin plates or dishes, A A A A, spread out preparatory to lunch or dinner. Fig. 2` is a coffee-can, having handle, spout, and loops for a spoon. Fig. 3 is a pastry-can for bread, pie, cake, &c. Fig. 4 is a vegetable and meat can. Fig. 5 is a butter or sauce cup. Fig. 6 is a drinkingcup. Fig. 7 is a bail and ears. Fig. 8 represents the plates A folded, forming a can, in which the coifee-can B forms the bottom, next above the pastrycan C and vegetable and meat can E, to the lid of Which is attached a butter or sauce cup, F, and crowned with a drinking-cup, G, inverted.

To explain the nature and construction of my can more fully, the plates A are folded so i as to form three sides of the body of the can,

leaving the fourth side open like a door, as shown in Fig. 8; then place the coffee-can B crosswise in forming the bottom; then close the door or fourth side of the can, which is provided With two clasps or hooks, L L, which enter slots M M in the next plate, forming a can; next, the pastry-can is placed in the top of the can, but extends down nearly to the coffee-can, permanently locking clasps or hooks L L; next, the vegetable and meat can E E is placed on the pastry-can. Said vegetable can is provided with a lid having a butter or sauce cup, F, and crowned with adrinkingbutton K, as shown in Fig. 9, which completes d the arrangement. This pastry-can has also a drop-side for convenience of emptying and,A

mung.

This dinner-can is designed for laboring men, mechanics, or travelers. It is intended to set the can on a hot stove or range asuifi-` cient length of time =to allow the coifee to` ,y

become hot. The can is made with space between the cofee-can B and the sides A, also in the hinges of the sides A, to admit of the heat passing in under the pastry-can C, there-` by warming the dinner contained in the cans C and E. After Warming the dinner, turn the buttons K K from under the ears H H, allow.-

ing the ears and'bail H H to drop from the can; lift the drinking-cup G from the sauee- `cup F lift cover and cup F from the vegeta-y.

ble-can E E; then lift the vegetable-can "E from the pastry-can C; then liftthe pastryf can C from the sides A, which unlocks the .y doorso it can be opened, as is shown in FigQ 8; then take the coffee-can B from Within the sides A and straightenthem, and lay them,

down, as shown in Fig. 1, thereby making a table or plates for eating on. Drop theside D of the pastry-can O, as shown in Fig. 3, to Q enable you to get the pastry from the can Q without breaking. p I -clain1 1. The plates A with "hinges,

when spread ont, as specified.

hereinbefore described.

Witnesses:

B. B. WILLIAMS, J. H. RHODES.' 1 4 q constructed,` so as to form a can when folded, or a table,

ALBERT A. ARNOLD. i 

